Method and apparatus for automatic adjustment of printer

ABSTRACT

A method for automatic adjustment of a printer, which is adapted to be implemented on a system having a printing part and a scanning part. The method includes steps of: printing an original preset in the system, scanning said original by the scanning part to obtain a digital image data of the original, obtaining an adjusting parameter by referring to the digital image data, and using the adjusting parameter to adjust the printing part for achieving the automatic adjustment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus forautomatic adjustment of a printer, and more especially to a method andan apparatus for automatic adjustment implemented on a system having aprinting part and a scanning part.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Along with the fast development on the personal computerindustry, different accessory products of the computer renew quickly.Among the accessory products, the printer and the scanner graduallybecome the basic equipment for the computer. Furthermore, amultifunctional machine integrated a printer with a scanner is morepopular for using in the personal studio and the mini-office.

[0003] The printer, especially for ink jet printer, has to process analignment action to achieve the alignment of the printer. At present,the alignment action includes steps of printing an original foralignment as shown in FIG. 1 by the printer, observing the original bythe user's eyes, selecting a preferred adjusting parameter (thepreferred parameter is 4 in FIG. 1), and inputting the preferredadjusting parameter into the computer to change the printing parameter.Because the alignment action need employ the observation and input bythe user, the traditional adjusting method has the disadvantages ofinconvenient operation and unstable adjusting quality. Therefore, thepurpose of the present invention is to develop a method having theproperties of easy operation, stable quality, fast, and assurance is.

[0004] It is therefore tried by the applicant to deal with the abovesituations encountered in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose amethod for automatic adjustment of a printer to avoid the unstableprinting quality resulted from the users' judgment.

[0006] It is therefore another object of the present invention topropose a method for automatic adjustment of a printer to achieve aconvenient, fast, and reliable operation.

[0007] According to the present invention, the method for automaticadjustment of a printer, which is adapted to be implemented on a systemhaving a printing part and a scanning part. The method comprises stepsof: (a) printing an original preset in the system, (b) scanning theoriginal by the scanning part to obtain a digital image data of theoriginal, (c) obtaining an adjusting parameter by referring to thedigital image data, and (d) using the adjusting parameter to adjust theprinting part for achieving the automatic adjustment.

[0008] Certainly, the original can be an alignment reference havingplural reference marks and plural alignment lines. The plural referencemarks are preferably plural positioning points.

[0009] Preferably, the step (c) comprises steps of: (c1) defining analignment region having the plural alignment lines according to theplural reference marks, (c2) obtaining plural regression straight linescorresponding to the plural alignment lines respectively, and (c3)finding one of the regression straight line having the most coincidencewith the corresponding one of the plural alignment lines to obtain theadjusting parameter. The step (c3) comprises defining coordinate valuesof the plural reference marks, calculating an slope of a lineconstructed by two of the coordinate values of the reference marks, andfinding the alignment region for adjustment according to the slope.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, a methodfor automatic adjustment of a printer is provided, wherein the printeris electrically connected to a processor and the processor is furtherelectrically connected to a scanner. The method comprises steps of:printing an original preset in the processor by the printer, scanningthe original by the scanner to obtain a digital image data of theoriginal, obtaining an adjusting parameter by the processor according tothe digital image data, and using the adjusting parameter by theprocessor to adjust the printer for achieving the automatic adjustment.

[0011] Certainly, the processor can be a computer device.

[0012] Certainly, the processor can be selected from a group consistingof a personal computer, a notebook, a personal digital assistant, and amobile phone.

[0013] According to an additional aspect of the present invention, thereis provided an apparatus of automatic adjustment which comprises aprinting part for printing an original preset in the apparatus, ascanning part for scanning the original to obtain a digital image dataof the original, and a processing part for obtaining an adjustingparameter by referring to the digital image data to adjust the printingpart for achieving the automatic adjustment.

[0014] Certainly, the printing part can be a printer.

[0015] Certainly, the scanning part can be a scanner.

[0016] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a recording medium storing a program for executing a method forautomatic adjustment. The method comprises steps of: printing anoriginal preset in the system, scanning by the scanning part theoriginal to obtain a digital image data of the original, obtaining anadjusting parameter by referring to the digital image data, and usingthe adjusting parameter to adjust the printing part for achieving theautomatic adjustment.

[0017] The present invention may best be understand through thefollowing description with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is an example diagram illustrating an original foralignment, wherein the original is printed using a method according tothe prior art;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a block diagrams illustrating the hardware used in themethod for automatic adjustment of a printer according to the presentinvention;

[0020]FIG. 3 is an example diagram illustrating an original foralignment by using a method according to the present invention; and

[0021]FIG. 4 is a function block diagram illustrating a multifunctionalmachine integrated with printing and scanning parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware used in themethod for automatic adjustment of a printer according to the presentinvention. The printer 21 is electrically connected to a processor 20,e.g. a personal computer, and the processor 20 is electrically connectedto a scanner 22.

[0023] The method of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0024] (a) printing an original by the printer 21, wherein the originalis used for alignment and has plural positioning points 31 and pluralalignment lines as shown in FIG. 3;

[0025] (b) scanning the original by the scanner 22 to obtain a digitalimage data of the original;

[0026] (c) obtaining an adjusting parameter by the processor 20, forexample a personal computer, according to the digital image data of theoriginal, wherein the step (c) includes: (c1) according to thecoordinate values of any two of the plural positioning points 31, (x1,y1) and (x2, y2), to calculate a slope q=(x2−x1)/(y2−y1), and accordingto the slope q for defining an alignment region including the pluralalignment lines 32, (c2) respectively calculating the plural alignmentlines 32 to find the plural regression straight lines corresponding tothe plural alignment lines 32, and (c3) finding one of the regressionstraight lines having the most coincidence with the corresponding pluralalignment lines to obtain an adjusting parameter; and

[0027] (d) using the adjusting parameter by the processor 20 to adjustthe printer 21 for achieving the automatic adjustment of the printer 21.

[0028] The calculation procedures of the steps (c2) and (c3) are shownas follows:

[0029] using equation (1) to calculate and find the average value ofbackground gray scale of the pixel, P, in the alignment region;

[0030] using equation (2) to obtain the standard deviation of backgroundgray scale of the pixel in the alignment region;

[0031] using equation (3) to obtain a threshold value T;

[0032] finding the pixels Pi in the alignment region whose gray scale issmaller than the threshold value T and the regression straight lines ofthe pixels Pi as shown in equation (4); and

[0033] using equation (5) to find the coincidence of the regressionstraight lines, determined by R², and the corresponding alignment lines,and further automatically selecting a regression straight line havingthe largest R². $\begin{matrix}{\overset{\_}{P} = {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\quad {P_{i}/n}}} & {{Equation}\quad (1)} \\{S_{P} = \sqrt{{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\quad {\left( {P_{i} - \overset{\_}{P}} \right)^{2}/n}} - 1}} & {{Equation}\quad (2)} \\{{\hat{Y} = {{\hat{a} + {\hat{b}X\quad {wherein}\quad \hat{a}}} = {\overset{\_}{y} - {\hat{b}\overset{\_}{x}}}}}\quad {\hat{b} = \frac{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\quad {\left( {x_{i} - \overset{\_}{x}} \right)\left( {y_{i} - \overset{\_}{y}} \right)}}{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\quad \left( {x_{i} - \overset{\_}{x}} \right)^{2}}}} & {{Equation}\quad (3)} \\{T = {\overset{\_}{P} - {3S_{p}}}} & {{Equation}\quad (4)} \\{R^{2} = {1 - \frac{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\quad \left( {y_{i} - {\hat{y}}_{i}} \right)^{2}}{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\quad \left( {y_{i} - \overset{\_}{y}} \right)^{2}}}} & {{Equation}\quad (5)}\end{matrix}$

[0034] In sum, by using the method for automatic adjustment of a printeraccording to the present invention, it is not necessary to observe anoriginal, decide the parameter and input the parameter by users.Therefore, the goal of the present invention is achieved by overcomingthe defects of inconvenient operation and unstable adjusting quality.Furthermore, the method for automatic adjustment of the printeraccording to the present invention has the advantages of reliableoperation, improved quality, and assurance.

[0035] In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the method described above isalso applied to a machine integrated a printer with a scanner.

[0036] While the invention has been described in terms of what arepresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments,it is to be understood that the invention need not to be limited to thedisclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadestinterpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similarstructures.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for automatic adjustment, which isadapted to be implemented on a system having a printing part and ascanning part, comprising steps of: (a) printing an original preset insaid system; (b) scanning said original by said scanning part to obtaina digital image data of said original; (c) obtaining an adjustingparameter by referring to said digital image data; and (d) using saidadjusting parameter to adjust said printing part for achieving saidautomatic adjustment.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein saidoriginal is an alignment reference having plural reference marks andplural alignment lines.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein saidplural reference marks are plural positioning points.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 2, wherein said step (c) comprises steps of: (c1)defining an alignment region having said plural alignment linesaccording to said plural reference marks; (c2) obtaining pluralregression straight lines corresponding to said plural alignment linesrespectively; and (c3) finding one of said regression straight linehaving the most coincidence with the corresponding one of said pluralalignment lines to obtain said adjusting parameter.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 4, wherein said step (c3) comprises definingcoordinate values of said plural reference marks, calculating an slopeof a line constructed by two of said coordinate values of said referencemarks, and finding said alignment region for adjustment according tosaid slope.
 6. A method for automatic adjustment of a printer, whereinsaid printer is electrically connected to a processor electricallyconnected to a scanner, comprising steps of: printing an original presetin said processor by said printer; scanning said original by saidscanner to obtain a digital image data of said original; obtaining anadjusting parameter by said processor according to said digital imagedata; and using said adjusting parameter by said processor to adjustsaid printer for achieving said automatic adjustment.
 7. The methodaccording to claim 6, wherein said processor is a computer device. 8.The method according to claim 7, wherein said processor is selected froma group consisting of a personal computer, a notebook, a personaldigital assistant, and a mobile phone.
 9. An apparatus of automaticadjustment, comprising: a printing part for printing an original presetin said apparatus; a scanning part for scanning said original to obtaina digital image data of said original; and a processing part forobtaining an adjusting parameter by referring to said digital image datato adjust said printing part for achieving said automatic adjustment.10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said printing part is aprinter.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said scanningpart is a scanner.
 12. A recording medium storing a program forexecuting a method for automatic adjustment, said method comprisingsteps of: printing an original preset in said system; scanning by saidscanning part said original to obtain a digital image data of saidoriginal; obtaining an adjusting parameter by referring to said digitalimage data; and using said adjusting parameter to adjust said printingpart for achieving said automatic adjustment.